Texas Instruments Corporation

Other

Jose L Melendez

Richard A Carr

Robert C Keller

Dwight Urban Bartholomew

Byron Lovell Williams

Darius Lammont Crenshaw

Jerome Lee Elkind

Kirk S Laney

John H Berlien, Jr

Paul S Breedlove

Diane Louise Arbuthnot

Yu-Pei Chen

Frederick F Geyer

Patrick Paul Smith

John Walter Orcutt

Tsen-Hwang Lin

Adel Ghobrial Abdelmalek

Jerry L Elkind

Laurinda W Ng

Keith Fry

Donald I Stimpson

Bryon L Williams

Mohammad Amir Malek

Wallace W Martin

A multi-functional completion tool which may be lowered into a wellbore coupled to a length of tubing, and then utilized to test various lengths of the tubing at pressure. The tool may also function as a positive plug and may also be used to set the packer, and is also useable as a tubing self-filling tool. Various retention elements are disposed within the tool and configured to release at predetermined pressures, or within predetermined ranges of pressure, thereby transforming the tool from a first configuration to a second configuration depending on the desired function. The tool may also contain a pressure-regulating assembly for regulating the differential pressure across the assembly. The tool may also include an indicator assembly for confirming that the tool has entered a plugging configuration, typically by altering a pressure within the tubing, such alteration being detectible at a surface location.

Multi-function completion tool

An optical, line-of-sight modem. The modem includes a micro-mirror assembly including a micro-mirror and including an actuator for providing rotational movement to the micro-mirror, the micro-mirror being controllable by predetermined control signals. The modem includes a source of electronic data signals, and a source of light having a narrow beam of light directed at the micro-mirror. Means are provided for converting the electronic data signals to optical signals modulating the beam of light. Means are also provided for controlling the micro-mirror so as to maintain the micro-mirror in a predetermined position for data communication.

Optical wireless link

An optical communication transmitter (), receiver (), and transceiver () having distinctive retro-reflective elements () and/or reflectivity that can be modulated. In one embodiment, the retro-reflective elements () can have different shapes or patterns (), irrespective of rotation or size. In another embodiment, the retro-reflective elements can have their reflectivity modulated () to have a distinctive pattern in time. The solution also provides the capability to direct a remote optical receiver () to an available port () with an appropriate FOV. In the case where retro-reflective elements are only shape distinctive, a method may be used to direct the remote OWLink () to an appropriate port () of the hub (). In addition to the hub ports () used for data links, additional hub ports called command ports () are added that are only used during the initial link setup of remote units. The hub () contains enough command ports () such that one command port covers each possible FOV. All command ports contain the same retro-reflective element shape that is very distinct from other hub shapes, e.g. the largest.

Optical wireless multiport hub

Disclosed is apparatus and method for establishing and maintaining optical data transfer between a first optical communications device ( ) and a second optical communications device ( ). The devices have a feedback communications link ( ) therebetween. An optical signal ( ), having a predetermined signal profile ( ), is transmitted from a transmission source ( ) within the first optical communications device to an optical receiver ( ) within the second optical communications device. The predetermined signal profile is transmitted from the first device, via the feedback communications link, to the second device. The signal profile ( ) of the optical signal as received by the optical receiver is determined, and compared with the predetermined signal profile to quantify any misalignment or movement of the optical signal with respect to the optical receiver. The transmission of the optical signal is then adjusted by a directing member ( ) responsive to the results of the compared profiles to align and center the optical signal with respect to the optical receiver. Once properly align, the optical signal may be utilized for high speed, high bandwidth data transmission.

System for acquiring and maintaining reliable optical wireless links

A miniaturized integrated sensor ( ) useful for indicating the presence of a sample analyte is disclosed. The sensor ( ) has a platform ( ) with an upper surface ( ) and a detector ( ), light source ( ), waveguide ( ), and reflective fixtures ( ) embedded in the platform ( ). The light source ( ) is preferably a light emitting diode and sits in a cup-shaped dimple ( ) that directs light from the light source ( ) toward one of the reflective fixtures ( ) to uniformly distribute light across the waveguide ( ). The waveguide ( ) is coupled to an upper surface ( ) of the sensor platform ( ) and is coated with a thin film of indicator chemistry ( ) which interacts with the sample analyte to produce optic signal changes that are measurable by the detector ( ). A lead frame ( ) in the platform ( ) has pins ( ) which provide the interface to the outside world. In one embodiment, sensor package ( ) has a unique shape that requires a predetermined insertion and removal into an instrument harness or other similar application.

Miniaturized integrated sensor platform

A packaged micromirror assembly ( &prime;) is disclosed. The assembly ( &prime;) includes a mirror element ( ) having a mirror surface ( ) that can rotate in two axes. Magnets ( ) are attached to the mirror element ( ), to permit rotation of the mirror surface ( ) responsive to the energizing of coil drivers ( ). A sensor ( ) is disposed under the mirror surface ( ) to detect mirror orientation. In one aspect of the invention, the sensor ( ) includes a light source such as an LED ( ) that imparts light through an aperture ( ) at the underside of the mirror surface ( ). Light detectors ( ) are arranged at varying angles, and detect relative intensity of light reflected from the underside of the mirror surface ( ), from which the rotational position of the mirror ( ) can be derived. According to another aspect of the invention, a conical sensor ( ) with multiple insulated segmented capacitor plates are arranged under the mirror surface ( ). Variations in the capacitance between the mirror ( ) and the various segments of the sensor ( ) indicate the position of the mirror ( ). A calibration memory ( ) may be provided, to store calibration values so that the sensor ( ) can be nulled with the mirror ( ).

Packaged micromirror assembly with in-package mirror position feedback

A versatile flow cell front-end ( ) for storing and delivering reagents, test samples, and other transportable materials within an optically-based integrated sensor device ( ), where management of those materials is controlled via electrical connections ( ) within the optically-based integrated sensor device is disclosed, including an inlet chamber ( ) formed within the flow cell, a sensing chamber ( ) formed within the flow cell, an electrical interface ( ) formed within the flow cell, a conduit ( ) adjoining the inlet and sensing chambers, another conduit ( ) adapted to dispose of fluid in the sensing chamber, and a fluidic control member ( ) instantiated along the conduit and responsively coupled to the electrical interface.

Versatile flow cell front-end for optically-based integrated sensors

A method for controlling an optical, path-to-sight link, the optical link including a source of light having a beam of light, a controllable beam steering device and an actuator to permit steering the light beam, the beam steering device being controllable by predetermined control signals. The method includes the following steps. The beam steering device is controlled so as to scan the beam of light in a first predetermined pattern. First direction is received data from a remote receiver including a light detector, the direction data corresponding to a direction of the beam at which the scanned beam of light is detected by the light detector. Responsive to the first direction data, a first beam direction is determined for data communication from the link to the receiver. The beam steering device is controlled to maintain a communications beam direction corresponding to the first beam direction. The beam of light is modulated with electronic signals.

Method for establishing and maintaining optical, open-air communications link

The present invention includes an integrated circuit switch including a membrane supported over a first conductor on a substrate, a conductive region on the membrane and connecting to the first conductor on the substrate, a pulldown electrode on the substrate and under the membrane and a pillar to support the membrane after the pulldown threshold has been reached. A voltage greater than a pulldown threshold is applied between the membrane and the pulldown electrode will pull the membrane down to make a capacitive coupling to the first conductor. The addition of the pillars increases the upward restoring force when the activation voltage is removed.

Mechanically assisted restoring force support for micromachined membranes

A Micro Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) varactor ( ) having a bottom electrode ( ) formed over a substrate ( ) and a dielectric material ( ) disposed over the bottom electrode ( ). A pull-down electrode ( ) is formed over spacer ( ) and the dielectric material ( ). The MEMS varactor ( ) is adapted to operate in a stiction mode, with at least a portion of pull-down electrode ( ) in contact with dielectric material ( ). The MEMS varactor ( ) has a high Q, large tuning range, and high sensitivity.

High Q-large tuning range micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) varactor for broadband applications

The present invention provides an apparatus and method of selecting a unique combination of materials and dimensions for fabrication of a micro-electromechanical switch for improved RF switch performance. An electrode material is selected which exhibits a resistivity resulting in improved insertion loss for a predetermined switching speed, a dielectric material is selected which exhibits a permittivity resulting in improved isolation, and an airgap thickness is selected resulting in a pull-down voltage approximately equal to a supply voltage of the micro-electromechanical switch in which the isolation and predetermined switching speed are also functions of the airgap thickness.

Selection of materials and dimensions for a micro-electromechanical switch for use in the RF regime

A sensor control and data analysis system ( ) for detecting and analyzing various (bio)chemical properties of a given sample substance ( ) using an integrated SPR sensor ( ) or other miniaturized sensor configuration. In one embodiment, raw sensor data from the sensing device ( ) is transferred to a remote processing system ( ), such as a desktop computer, having a display ( ), keyboard or other user control and data entry device ( ), internal storage area ( ), internal microprocessor ( ) and a communications means ( ). The processing system ( ) runs a software application program ( ) that receives the raw sample data and perform qualitative and quantitative analysis to render meaningful information about the sample substance.

Fixed optic sensor system and distributed sensor network

A Micro Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) switch ( ) having a bottom electrode ( ) formed over a substrate ( ) and a thin protective cap layer ( ) disposed over the bottom electrode ( ). A dielectric material ( ) is disposed over the protective cap layer ( ) and a pull-down electrode ( ) is formed over the spacer ( ) and the dielectric material ( ). The protective cap layer ( ) prevents the oxidation of the bottom electrode ( ). The thin protective cap layer ( ) comprises a metal having an associated oxide with a high dielectric constant. A portion ( ) of the thin protective cap layer ( ) may oxidize during the formation of the dielectric material ( ), increasing the capacitance of the dielectric stack ( ).

Microelectromechanical switch with fixed metal electrode/dielectric interface with a protective cap layer

Disclosed is a method of automatically sensing and controlling beverage quality for soft drinks from a fountain dispenser, for example, comprising the steps of supplying a first fluid, such as water or carbonated water, wherein the flow of the first fluid is controlled by a first valve, supplying a second fluid, mixing the first fluid and the second fluid, passing a sample of the mixture of the first fluid and the second fluid onto a sensing surface of a fixed optic sensor, measuring one or more properties of the sample, such as, for example, refractive index, temperature, and pressure, controlling the first valve based on the one or more properties, and dispensing the mixture. The first valve may be proportionally enlarged and reduced or it may selectively opened and closed pursuant to a desired duty cycle. The present invention further comprises a system for automatically sensing and controlling beverage quality, comprising a controller means, a first valve electrically coupled to the controller means for controlling supply of a first fluid, a second valve electrically coupled to the controller means for controlling supply of a second fluid, and a fixed optic sensor electrically coupled to the controller means.

System and method for sensing and controlling beverage quality

A miniaturized integrated sensor (,) useful for indicating the presence of a sample analyte is disclosed. The sensor (,) has a platform (,) with an upper surface (,) and a detector (,), light source (,), waveguide (,), and reflective fixtures (,) embedded in the platform (,). The light source (,) is preferably a light emitting diode and sits in a cup-shaped dimple (,) that directs light from the light source (,) toward one of the reflective fixtures (,) to uniformly distribute light across the waveguide (,). The waveguide (,) is coupled to an upper surface (,) of the sensor platform (,) and is coated with a thin film of indicator chemistry (,) which interacts with the sample analyte to produce optic signal changes that are measurable by the detector (,). A lead frame (,) in the platform (,) has pins (,) which provide the interface to the outside world. In one embodiment, sensor package (,) has a unique shape that requires a predetermined insertion and removal into an instrument harness or other similar application.

Growing community of inventors

Plano, TX, United States of America

Jose L Melendez